home  back ]



               ACT 1 - INT. LIVING ROOM - DAY

               A modern living room. At the back of the stage is a kitchen
               area divided off by a breakfast bar. Upstage left is an
               internal door. On the left wall of the living room (stage
               left) is a window covered by a blind. Downstage of that is
               the front door.

               On the right of the stage, opposite the window, is a long
               settee, a coffee table, and a pouffe. On the coffee table
               is a chess board and pieces, a pack of cards, a large box
               of Swan matches, a pile of magazines, and a small radio.
               Above the settee is a mirror.

               Jacob, a tallish man in his late forties, overweight, is
               sat back on the settee, relaxed, staring at the ceiling.
               Kreutchmar, a younger, smaller built, more intense and
               serious man is stood up, pacing the floor.

               Kreutchmar walks over to the window and moves the blind
               aside to check the weather: it is still raining. Throughout
               the play we here the background noise of rain falling.

                                   JACOB
                         Sunny?

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                             (snapping at him)
                         What?

                                   JACOB
                         Is it lifting?

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         Does it sound like it's lifting?
                         It's still pouring down. I'm
                         going insane locked up in here.

                                   JACOB
                             (leaning forwards
                              spinning a coin on the
                              coffee table)
                         You made the arrangements: you
                         can live with them.

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                             (walking towards him)
                         You don't have to tell me that. I
                         know that. Don't you think I turn
                         it over in my head fifty times a
                         day? Why do you think I can't
                         sleep at night?

                                   JACOB
                         Because you don't do anything
                         during the day.

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                             (looking at the ceiling)
                         You don't do anything during the
                         day either, but you sleep like a
                         log and snore like a hog the
                         whole night through.

                                   JACOB
                         I'm not a worrier like you are.
                         Worriers are always the ones who
                         end up making the arrangements,
                         purely because they want to have
                         something to worry about. It
                         gives them a sense of reality.
                         Look at you, now...

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         What do you mean, look at me now?
                         I'm only concerned that they're
                         doing what they're supposed to be
                         doing, as arranged.

                                   JACOB
                         Yeah, but you're worrying about
                         it - it's in your nature. That's
                         just the way you're wired up.
                         It's nothing to be ashamed about.

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         I'm not ashamed.

                                   JACOB
                         I was just pointing out that some
                         people are born worriers and
                         others aren't, and the ones that
                         aren't let the worriers make the
                         arrangements because they are
                         actually quite good at it,
                         despite the fact that it seems to
                         make them ill. You could have
                         arranged it that Greene and Bloch
                         stayed here and we were outside.

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         I wanted to be here, so that
                         nothing goes wrong. From here I
                         can coordinate everything and
                         make sure nothing happens to her -
                         she's our insurance policy.

               Jacob leans back on the sofa and stretches, staring at the
               ceiling as if bored.

                                   JACOB
                         Do you want to play cards?

               Kreutchmar, not answering, walks into the kitchenette and
               opens the fridge.

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         Do you want a beer?

                                   JACOB
                             (tapping his stomach)
                         No - I'm putting on too much
                         weight. How much weight do you
                         think I've put on since I've been
                         here?

               Kreutchmar looks at him over the breakfast bar and turns
               back to the fridge as if Jacob hadn't spoken.

                                   JACOB (cont'd)
                         Go on, guess.

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         How the fuck do I know? How much
                         did you weigh before?

                                   JACOB
                         Eleven stone two. Now what do you
                         think I am? Go on, guess.

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         Stand up.

               Jacob stands up - his stomach sags out.

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         Thirteen, thirteen and a half?
                         Maybe a bit more.

                                   JACOB
                         I am never thirteen, you cheeky
                         git. Twelve at the most. Never
                         thirteen. I can't believe you
                         think that I'm thirteen.

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         You're big for your size.

                                   JACOB
                             (laughing)
                         What does that mean? How can I be
                         big for my size?

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         I mean for a man of your height,
                         you are quite stocky, so you're
                         heavier than would be expected.
                         That's probably a trait you
                         inherited, from your mother.

                                   JACOB
                         You never knew my mother.

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         I don't have to have known her.
                         The tendency to put on weight is
                         inherited from the mother. It's
                         like Male Pattern Baldness. You
                         have that too - they're both from
                         your mother.

                                   JACOB
                         My mother was not fucking bald!
                         Neither was she fat. So that's
                         the end of your bogus science.

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         Jesus! Didn't you do biology at
                         school. Don't you even know about
                         the X chromosome? Your mother can
                         carry things that you inherit -
                         she doesn't have to have them
                         herself.

                                   JACOB
                             (changing subject and
                              answering question
                              about the beer)
                         Yes please.

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         What?

                                   JACOB
                         Yes, I do want a beer. Do you
                         want to play cards?

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         Okay then.

               Kreutchmar carries the beers back to the lounge and sits on
               the pouffe opposite Jacob.

                                   JACOB
                         Brag?

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         Okay - my dick is bigger than
                         yours.

                                   JACOB
                         Very funny, Mister Kreutchmar -
                         but no it isn't. Do you want to
                         play brag?

               Kreutchmar assents with a tiny nod of his head, waiting for
               the cards to be dealt. Jacob is counting out the matches.

                                   JACOB
                         Fifty each?

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         Yeah, whatever, share them all
                         out. Just get on with it.

                                   JACOB
                         What's the hurry? You're not
                         going anywhere for a while.

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         It doesn't make it any easier. I
                         can't help it - I'm not used to
                         being locked up like this.

                                   JACOB
                         You went to the shops yesterday.

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         Big deal - I went to the shops.
                         I'm not used to being in one room
                         with a fat bald man, a pack of
                         cards and a radio.

               Kreutchmar's tone is one of serious humour, as if he is not
               joking. Jacob knows him too well to be offended.

                                   JACOB
                             (dealing the cards)
                         Yeah, but think of it, brother -
                         in two days it will all be over
                         and we'll be out of here. What
                         are your plans?

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                             (examining his cards)
                         Not sure yet.

                                   JACOB
                         Keeping your cards close to your
                         chest are you? Can't tell you're
                         old buddy Jacob? Five in?

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         Yup, five in.

               They both put five matches into the pot.

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         Start with five. And what about
                         you?

                                   JACOB
                         I'll go five.

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         No. What are your plans?

                                   JACOB
                         South America. I was there last
                         year and fell in love with the
                         place.

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         I'll go your five and raise you
                         three. Where, exactly?

                                   JACOB
                         Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         That's Central America.

                                   JACOB
                         I ended up there. I'll match your
                         eight. I rented a villa in a
                         little fishing village north of
                         there. You cannot believe the
                         sea, how blue it is, and how
                         green the coast is - you'd think
                         it would be dry but it's not.
                         Maybe further north it is but
                         down there it's like paradise.
                         You drive south into town, the
                         deep blue Pacific on one side,
                         the green coast on the other. The
                         fishing is fantastic - everything
                         a man could want.

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         I'll up you to ten. Not quite
                         everything.

                                   JACOB
                         The girls there are beautiful, if
                         you want young girls.

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         You don't?

                                   JACOB
                         Young girls are for young men -
                         or else they are just trophies. I
                         met a woman there - we've been
                         writing to each other. I phone
                         her once a week.

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         You didn't tell her anything? She
                         doesn't know what you do?

                                   JACOB
                         Do I look stupid?

               Kreutchmar muses.

                                   JACOB
                         She's an independent woman - not
                         on the make. She owns her own
                         business. On my last day I was
                         walking round the backstreets
                         keeping out the sun and I passed
                         a jeweller's and they had these
                         beautiful gold and coral
                         necklaces in the window. I was
                         looking for something for my old
                         mum so I went in, and there she
                         was...

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         Your mum?

                                   JACOB
                         Prick! Maria - she owns the shop.
                         She tried them on to show me and
                         helped me choose one. I bought a
                         couple of other things and said
                         goodbye and I didn't think much
                         more of it but after I got back I
                         realised I'd left a ring there
                         and rang her to ask her to send
                         it.

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         Your bet.

                                   JACOB
                         I'll raise it two, to twelve. She
                         asked me if my mum liked the
                         necklace and I told her how I'd
                         got back and mum had died while I
                         was away.

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         Shit, that's bad. You could've
                         given it to your daughter.

                                   JACOB
                         Poor old mum.

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         Twelve again.

                                   JACOB
                         I never see my daughter. She just
                         sort of drifted away from me
                         after the divorce. Anyway, Maria
                         was very sympathetic.
                         I told her I would give the
                         necklace to her if she would let
                         me take her out for a meal when I
                         go back. Turns out she's a widow
                         and her kids are grown up. Raise
                         you two.

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         What did you tell her? About you.

                                   JACOB
                         Told her I was Financial Advisor
                         with lots of big clients but that
                         I was selling my business and
                         retiring this year. It's close
                         enough to the truth not to get me
                         confused.

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                             (sarcastic)
                         What a sweet story.

                                   JACOB
                         I know exactly where we'll live.
                         I saw a villa there, about two
                         miles out of town, swimming pool,
                         steps up to the house, double
                         garage underneath - not that you
                         need it, it hardly rains there. I
                         was there three weeks and it
                         didn't rain once.

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         Maybe it was the dry season - it
                         wouldn't be green if it didn't
                         rain. I'll see you for fourteen.

                                   JACOB
                         Well everywhere needs some rain.
                         A pair of Kings.

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                             (taking the pot)
                         Flush.

                                   JACOB
                             (leans back and drinks
                              from his bottle)
                         But you're not going to stay here
                         are you?

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                             (dealing)
                         No way. I'll probably go out
                         East. Malaysia, maybe.
                         There's an island there I can
                         hide out, convenient for Oz and
                         Hong Kong, if the Chinese haven't
                         fucked it up. Buy myself a local
                         woman, for company. None of that
                         love shit; I mean, if you think
                         you've found it, good on you, but
                         you'll never change my mind.

                                   JACOB
                         Start on six. I won't try then.
                         Why won't you stay here?

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         This country is finished. No-one
                         has any values any more. Everyone
                         is out for themselves; everyone
                         is shafting everyone else, if
                         they get the chance. Nobody
                         trusts nobody.

                                   JACOB
                         Ah, it's not that bad.

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         It is, and it comes from the top.
                         Look at her father - his company
                         paid him a bonus of twenty
                         million last year alone, on top
                         of shares and pensions. And why
                         did he get that? Because he
                         shafted his workers, that's why,
                         laid off three thousand workers.
                         Every person being shafted from
                         above has to shaft other people
                         whenever they get the chance.

                                   JACOB
                         You wouldn't say no to it if it
                         was you.

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         That's not the point. Everyone is
                         living on the edge. They're
                         scared, you can see it in their
                         eyes - scared of losing their
                         jobs, scared of not being able to
                         afford what everyone else has
                         got, scared of strangers, scared
                         of themselves and what they're
                         forced to do. The only difference
                         between people is the amount of
                         power they have and because money
                         equals power, the ones with money
                         like to stop others having it by
                         keeping as much as they can for
                         themselves. I'll go six.

                                   JACOB
                         And people wonder why there's so
                         much crime.
                             (a beat)
                         Your six and raise you two.

               Kreutchmar counts the matches.

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         That was seven.

                                   JACOB
                         Eight. Six plus two, equals
                         eight.

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         I know what it makes, but you put
                         in seven.

                                   JACOB
                         No I didn't. I put in six plus
                         two, makes eight.

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         Seven.

                                   JACOB
                         Eight.

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         I can see it, brother. The pot's
                         an odd number. Count it, if you
                         don't believe me.

                                   JACOB
                         I'm not counting it. That's
                         pathetic, counting matches.

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         Well, put another one in then.

                                   JACOB
                         Okay, I will, but it's pathetic,
                         arguing over a match.

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         It's not the fucking match - it's
                         the principle.

                                   JACOB
                         It's a game.

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         You still have to abide by the
                         rules, otherwise it doesn't mean
                         anything.
                         I mean, I could just sit here and
                         put in nothing and say it's
                         eight, I mean, what's the point
                         of that?

                                   JACOB
                         There isn't any - it's just
                         stupid.

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         I'm trying to explain the
                         principle. You either do things
                         properly, according to the rules
                         or you might as well not bother.

                                   JACOB
                         Kreutchmar - wake up! We are only
                         pretending: it's a game.

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         I'll count them - I'll count
                         them, if you don't believe me.

                                   JACOB
                         Brother, brother - I do believe
                         you. Believe me, that I believe
                         you, that I only put seven
                         matches into the pot and that's
                         against the rules of the game,
                         and just to show you how sorry I
                         am, I am going to give you TWO of
                         my matches. Here you are, one to
                         make up and one to compensate.
                         Happy now?

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         Don't take the piss.

                                   JACOB
                         I'm not taking the piss, I'm
                         asking if you're happy.

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         Just get on with it.

                                   JACOB
                         It's your go.

               A long silence while Kreutchmar takes his go.

                                   JACOB (cont'd)
                         Do you trust them?

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         Who?

                                   JACOB
                         Bloch and Greene.

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         I trust Greene. I've worked with
                         Greeney dozens of times. I don't
                         trust Bloch but so long as
                         Greeney's there to watch him,
                         we're safe. That's why I put them
                         together. Still eight.

                                   JACOB
                         Why did you choose Bloch then?
                         And again.

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         Because he's clever. He thinks
                         quick and he knows what to do
                         without being told. But he's a
                         slippery bastard which is why
                         Greene is there to keep his eye
                         on him. Everything's organised
                         anyway - so long as he keeps to
                         the script, nothing can go wrong.
                         Mark my words, by tomorrow
                         they'll pay up and we'll be out
                         of here. Your eight and see you
                         for eight.

                                   JACOB
                         Ace high.

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         Seven, eight, nine! My pot. And
                         then, Jacob, my boy, you can
                         bugger off to Mexico and cruise
                         romantically along the coast with
                         Maria.
                             (starts singing)
                         "Maria, I just met a girl called
                         Maria..."

               Kreutchmar doesn't know any more of the lyric. Jacob stands
               up and looks at himself in the mirror. He pulls his chest
               in and starts flexing his muscles. He looks at his watch.

                                   JACOB
                         Put the News on.

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         There won't be anything. They've
                         imposed a total blackout. They
                         always do while negotiations are
                         going on.

                                   JACOB
                         I want to hear the News anyway.

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                             (ignoring him)
                         We should give her something to
                         eat. What time did she eat lunch?

                                   JACOB
                         About three.

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         I'll make her a sandwich.

                                   JACOB
                         Not chicken roll. She won't eat
                         it. Cut her some of that ham.

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         Why are kids so bloody fussy?

                                   JACOB
                         Too much on offer - they're
                         spoilt for choice. And give her a
                         bag of crisps - she only likes
                         Cheese and Onion, not Salt and
                         Vinegar.

               Jacob sits back down and watches Kreutchmar. Kreutchmar
               feels the blade of the carving knife to see if it's sharp
               and then sharpens it a against another large knife. He then
               cuts slices from a leg of ham.

                                   JACOB (cont'd)
                         What if he won't pay?

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         Don't even think about it. He'll
                         pay. To him it represents one
                         year's bonus. You would pay
                         whatever you could to get your
                         daughter back wouldn't you? Your
                         only daughter, your little girl?

                                   JACOB
                             (looking down,
                              remembering his absent
                              daughter)
                         Only if I couldn't get to them
                         and kill them first. Yeah, I'd
                         pay, I'd sell my house,
                         everything, to get the money, but
                         I'd find them afterwards and then
                         I'd kill them.

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         Well, that's not going to happen
                         is it, because we have a system
                         and it's all arranged and we all
                         know what we're doing.
                         So he's going to pay and we're
                         going to get away with it.
                             (looking around the
                              kitchen)
                         Now, I should give her a drink.

                                   JACOB
                         Blackcurrant.

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         I know what she drinks!

               Kreutchmar makes a drink and puts it on a tray with the
               sandwich. He starts walking towards the door.

                                   JACOB
                         Your mask!

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         Shit, I almost forgot.

               Kreutchmar reaches under the breakfast bar and pulls out a
               full, head-covering rubber clown's mask.

                                   JACOB
                         Not that one - it's mine.

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         What difference does it make?

                                   JACOB
                         It will confuse her. She talks to
                         me - I know how to speak to
                         children. I want her to know it's
                         me and not you - it's important.

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         Don't get attached to her, Jacob.
                         Don't go soft on me.

                                   JACOB
                         I'm not getting attached to her
                         and I'm not going soft - I just
                         think that we can achieve what we
                         want without making her suffer
                         unnecessarily. Just wear your
                         mask.

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                             (pulling out a Michael
                              Jackson mask)
                         Why do I have to look like
                         Michael Jackson? I fucking hate
                         Michael Jackson.

                                   JACOB
                         I didn't know you hated Michael
                         Jackson.
                         I thought it would be better to
                         get someone she might know rather
                         than say, Bill Clinton.

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         Didn't they have a Frank Sinatra
                         one? I don't want to be Michael
                         Jackson, that's all. I don't want
                         to look like a freaky fucking
                         mermaid with a mushroom nose.

                                   JACOB
                         It's only a mask, you won't stay
                         like that forever. Just wear it
                         and shut up.

               Kreutchmar puts on the mask and leaves the room. Jacob gets
               down on the floor and starts doing some press-ups. He
               manages about five before floundering. He turns over onto
               his back and starts doing some sit-ups. On the fourth or
               fifth he's already straining. He stops when he hears the
               sound of a car, seemingly pulling up outside the house. He
               gets up with some effort and walks over to the window.
               Hiding himself, he moves the blind to see what is
               happening. Nothing. He goes back to the sofa and sits down,
               picks up his beer and starts reading a Men's Health
               magazine. A mobile phone rings. Jacob picks it up, looks at
               it, answers it.

                                   JACOB
                             (dead pan voice)
                         Yes.

               Jacob listens for a moment.

                                   JACOB
                         He's not here. No, he hasn't gone
                         anywhere, we've only been out
                         twice, to the shops, we've been
                         here all the time, going out of
                         our minds. He's giving her her
                         tea. She's fine. We're looking
                         after her fine, no worries, she
                         will be fine. What's happening -
                         there's nothing on the News, what
                         are they saying?
                             (obviously being cold
                              shouldered)
                         I know that I don't need to know
                         but I just thought... Okay, I'll
                         get him to ring you.

               Jacob puts the phone down. He looks down at his stomach
               rolling over his belt and angrily says "Shit!" Kreutchmar
               comes back in the room.

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         What happened?

                                   JACOB
                         Nothing. Bloch rang.

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                             (interested)
                         What's happening?

                                   JACOB
                         He wouldn't tell me. Because I'm
                         a geek I suppose. He wants you to
                         ring him. If they fuck up...

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         They won't fuck up. We just have
                         to keep to my strategy - I've
                         told them what to say. So long as
                         they don't start getting any big
                         ideas, we're okay.

               Kreutchmar picks up the mobile phone and rings.

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                             (walking around the
                              room)
                         It's me. What's happening? They
                         won't agree?
                             (to Jacob)
                         They won't agree!

               Jacob lean back onto the sofa and pushes his large fist
               into a cushion.

                                   KREUTCHMAR (cont'd)
                             (angrily)
                         But I thought it was all going
                         well. Yesterday you told me
                         they'd said yes and now you tell
                         me that it's not going to happen.
                         They're fucking stalling us. Ring
                         them and tell them what will
                         happen if they stall us: tell
                         them the deal. This is their last
                         chance. I want you to ring them
                         again and give them twelve hours
                         to decide. Don't give them any
                         more leeway, this is it. I want
                         you to ring me back tomorrow
                         morning and tell me what they
                         said. Forget that - we stick to
                         the strategy, don't go making
                         things up as you go along, we are
                         not at fucking Ronny Scott's,
                         just do it to plan, every step of
                         the way.
                         Look, I do trust you, you know I
                         trust you - that's why you're
                         handling the negotiations, but
                         you have to stick to the script.
                         They will try to mess you up and
                         confuse you - we're not going to
                         allow that to happen, okay. We
                         have to be in control. Yeah,
                         okay, okay, we'll wait for your
                         call.

               Kreutchmar throws the phone down.

                                   JACOB
                         Maybe Bloch isn't so clever after
                         all.

               Kreutchmar walks to the window and moves the blind as if he
               hasn't heard Jacob. He turns back and looks at the floor,
               thinking.

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         Maybe I should swap with Bloch.

                                   JACOB
                         I don't want to work with Bloch -
                         I'd end up hitting him.

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         We could both go - they could
                         come here.

                                   JACOB
                         I can't leave the girl - she
                         trusts me.

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         I told you! Don't get attached to
                         her. This is just a job, okay? We
                         do the job, we take the money and
                         go. I don't want things fucking
                         up because Bloch is trying to be
                         clever and you're getting soft.

                                   JACOB
                         I'm just saying that I don't want
                         to work with Bloch and I don't
                         trust him with her.

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         Bloch will do what I say. I need
                         to think about it, what we do.
                         We'll give him twelve hours and
                         then we'll see. I'll sleep in the
                         bedroom, with her, you can have
                         the couch.

                                   JACOB
                             (pausing, then quietly)
                         Don't touch her.

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         What did you say to me? What are
                         you suggesting?

                                   JACOB
                         I mean, don't hurt her.

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                             (walking towards Jacob,
                              threateningly)
                         You said, "Don't touch her."

                                   JACOB
                         I just meant, it's not her fault.

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         Why are you talking about
                         'fault'? What does that matter?
                         This is a job not a nursery.

                                   JACOB
                         We can get what we want without
                         hurting her.

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                             (turning away and
                              grabbing the mask)
                         We'll see about that.

                                                       FADE TO BLACK:

               In the darkness, a phone rings. Jacob answers it.

                                   JACOB
                             (talking quietly)
                         Greeney - how is it? It's okay,
                         he's gone to bed. If he comes in
                         I'll just hand the phone over as
                         if you'd only just rung. Watch
                         Bloch - he can't be trusted. I'll
                         watch Kreutchmar, and they won't
                         be able to stitch us up. It was
                         equal shares, remember, cut four
                         ways - we don't want him or Bloch
                         changing things at the last
                         minute and trying to cut us out.
                         Relaxed, brother, I'm very
                         relaxed. Chilled. I know he is,
                         he's edgy, very edgy but I can
                         handle him - you handle Bloch, do
                         the pickup, we meet up, split it
                         four ways, and then we're gone.
                         So long as you and I stick
                         together, they won't be able to
                         sideline us. Okay, brother, stay
                         strong.

               The stage stays dark for thirty seconds and the sound of
               the rain gets louder.

               The sound of the rain gets quieter. The stage lights up.
               Jacob is asleep beneath a cover on the sofa. Kreutchmar
               enters the room and throws his mask down. He looks out the
               window - it's still raining. He goes to make a coffee and
               bangs around. Jacob wakes up.

                                   JACOB
                             (sees Kreutchmar making
                              himself a coffee)
                         Yes please.

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         What?

                                   JACOB
                         Coffee, black, no sugar.

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         I was letting you sleep.

                                   JACOB
                         What time is it?

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         Half seven.

                                   JACOB
                         Did you sleep alright?

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         What do you think?

                                   JACOB
                         I don't know. Is she alright?

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         She's asleep. How would you sleep
                         wearing a Michael Jackson mask?

                                   JACOB
                         I sleep fine with mine on.

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                             (passing him his coffee)
                         No phone calls?

                                   JACOB
                         No. Nothing.

               Kreutchmar picks up the mobile phone and appears to be
               looking through the calls list. He says nothing and sits
               down in front of the chess board. He starts playing against
               himself.

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         She was talking in her sleep.

                                   JACOB
                         What did she say?

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         She just said: "Jennifer is near
                         the river", and then she shouted
                         "Mum!". Just one shout and then
                         she went completely quiet - not
                         another sound all night.

               Kreutchmar continues playing chess, half listening to
               Jacob.

                                   JACOB
                         Probably dreaming. Jennifer is
                         near the river? It's weird the
                         things people dream, isn't it. I
                         used to have this recurring dream
                         that I was crawling through a
                         narrow tunnel and I couldn't turn
                         around or go back. It was dark
                         and up a side tunnel I would see
                         a chink of light and I'd think,
                         "Oh, good, a way out". So I would
                         force my body around this tight
                         corner and I could hardly breathe
                         and then I would crawl up this
                         slope towards the light. I tell
                         you what it was like - have you
                         seen those pictures from inside
                         the big pyramid, Cheops, or
                         something - there is a tunnel
                         that goes up from the centre to a
                         false door halfway up the face of
                         the pyramid. Well, it was just
                         like that, and I would be
                         crawling and crawling, my arms
                         could hardly move because they
                         were crushed against the walls.
                         Finally I would get to the end
                         and I could smell the fresh air
                         of freedom, see the daylight, but
                         then when I got up close to it, I
                         saw that it was just a slit - my
                         arm could get through it but
                         nothing else.
                         But in desperation I would try
                         and force my head through the
                         gap, struggling to get free, and
                         I would feel this weight
                         squeezing harder and harder
                         against my head, as if the whole
                         earth was burying me. I would
                         begin to scream and then suddenly
                         I would wake up, sweat pouring
                         off me, gasping for air. It was
                         horrible - I had that same dream
                         on and off for a year, just
                         before my marriage broke up. My
                         wife used to get freaked out.

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         You know what that was?

                                   JACOB
                         It was a dream.

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         But you know why you had it?

                                   JACOB
                         Because I was struggling to get
                         out my marriage.

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         No. You were remembering your
                         birth. I bet, if you'd asked your
                         mum, she would've told you that
                         your labour had been difficult
                         and that you were stuck in the
                         birth canal. The experience has
                         stayed in your subconscious.

                                   JACOB
                         But I don't remember it so how
                         could I dream it.

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         That's what your subconscious is,
                         you fool - it's all the things
                         you've forgotten or never even
                         knew you knew, hidden away,
                         waiting to come back at you.
                         That's why you've gotta keep
                         strong, so they don't come back
                         out at you.

                                   JACOB
                         It was because my marriage was
                         breaking up.

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         That was the cause - but the
                         dream was repeating something
                         that had already happened.

                                   JACOB
                         That's all too deep for me.
                         What's the point of worrying
                         about things that might not even
                         exist. It's like being in a boat
                         and worrying about what's at the
                         bottom of the ocean.

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         You would if the boat started
                         sinking. And your boat was
                         sinking, so it all came back to
                         you.

                                   JACOB
                         Maybe. I'm going to give her her
                         breakfast.

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         I'll phone Bloch. Let's hope
                         they're being sensible.

                                   JACOB
                         They will pay up. Twenty million
                         is nothing to them.

               Jacob starts preparing the breakfast and putting it on a
               tray. Kreutchmar picks up the phone.

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                             (to Jacob)
                         He should have spoken to them at
                         ten. I should've rung Greeney
                         last night to make sure that
                         Bloch was doing everything right.
                             (casually)
                         You didn't speak to him?

                                   JACOB
                         No. I told you - nobody rang.

               Kreutchmar just nods his head while listening to the phone
               ring. Kreutchmar starts talking as Jacob puts his mask on
               and leaves the room with the tray.

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         Bloch. How goes it? You spoke to
                         them? And? You resisted, I hope.
                         You told them not to fuck with
                         us. You told them what would
                         happen? You let them know that we
                         are serious didn't you?
                         I don't want them to think we are
                         a bunch of amateurs who can be
                         stalled while they wait for us to
                         make a mistake.

               Kreutchmar walks around the room listening and nodding.

                                   KREUTCHMAR (cont'd)
                         Okay, okay. If they want to play
                         games, we'll play games. They
                         want to know that she's alive and
                         okay, I'll send them a little
                         memento so that they know who
                         they're dealing with. Leave it to
                         me. I'll ring you back later.
                         Listen - were you with Greene all
                         last night? Did he ring Jacob, or
                         did Jacob ring him? So you
                         wouldn't know then. I don't trust
                         them, I think they are up to
                         something. I want you to be sure
                         about this - we are in charge:
                         Jacob and Greene are here to help
                         us but we make all the decisions
                         and we decide on the cuts. I know
                         what we said but...
                             (Jacob comes back in the
                              room; Kreutchmar
                              changes tack)
                         Don't worry. We'll take care of
                         it. Expect to hear from me.

               Kreutchmar throws the phone down. He walks quietly and
               thoughtfully around the room, looking out the blinds. Jacob
               sits down.

                                   JACOB
                         So?

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         I'm thinking.

                                   JACOB
                         What about? Have they agreed or
                         not.

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         There's a problem. We'll get over
                         it. We just have to be a bit
                         harder that's all - they will do
                         business.

                                   JACOB
                         I thought Bloch was good.

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         Bloch is good. It's not his
                         fault.
                         They won't agree until they have
                         evidence that she's alive and
                         well.

                                   JACOB
                         We can do that.

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         No. They're just stalling. We
                         need to show them we're for real.
                         They're trying to trap us - we
                         need to control the moves if
                         we're going to get out.

                                   JACOB
                             (concerned)
                         What do you mean?

               Kreutchmar walks behind the kitchenette. He pulls out a
               sports bag, opens it and brings out a bag of First Aid
               medication, bandages etc. He throws it at Jacob.

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         Who do you want to be - surgeon
                         or nurse?

               Kreutchmar picks up the knife he'd used to carve the ham
               and starts sharpening it.

                                   JACOB
                             (stands up, alarmed)
                         What are you going to do?

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         Only what is necessary.

                                   JACOB
                         You can't hurt her. I won't let
                         you. You said no-one would get
                         hurt.

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                             (pointing the knife)
                         I told you not to get attached. I
                         told you not to get soft. She is
                         nothing to us. All she is is our
                         insurance policy for twenty
                         million pounds.

                                   JACOB
                         She's a child. She's someone's
                         daughter.

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         She's not your daughter! I
                         thought you were professional.
                         You know what this is about - you
                         should have known this might
                         happen.

                                   JACOB
                         Yeah, but I didn't think... I
                         didn't think I would care about
                         her.

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         Well, start thinking now. We can
                         do this, and they will pay up,
                         believe me, or we can hang on
                         here, in this prison, day after
                         day negotiating until we make a
                         mistake and they catch us. You're
                         looking at fifteen years at
                         least, longer, with your form.

                                   JACOB
                         I can't do it.

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         Jacob, get real: you can't not do
                         it.

               Jacob walks around the stage, worried.

                                   JACOB
                         Let me think about it a minute.

               Kreutchmar pulls on his Michael Jackson mask. He picks up
               the knife.

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         There's no time. I'll be the
                         surgeon.

               Kreutchmar throws Jacob the clown mask.

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         You can hold her down and stop
                         her screaming.

                                   JACOB
                             (as he pulls on his
                              mask)
                         I can't do this. Let's send them
                         a tape of her, so that they know
                         she's okay. Let them talk to her.

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                             (in his mask, walking
                              towards Jacob with the
                              knife)
                         They are playing with us. They
                         know what they are doing. We have
                         to be one step ahead of them.

                                   JACOB
                         But couldn't we just try
                         something...

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         This is my decision. I made the
                         plans. Everyone agreed. We are a
                         team. I allowed for this.

                                   JACOB
                         If you allowed for this, why
                         didn't you tell anyone?

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         I told Bloch.

                                   JACOB
                         You told Bloch? You told Bloch
                         and not me, knowing that I was
                         going to be the one here in the
                         house.

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         I must have known you would go
                         soft.

                                   JACOB
                         I won't do it. Every time I look
                         at her... every time I look, I
                         see, I see my daughter. It will
                         be like hurting my own daughter.
                         I can't do it!

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                             (advancing
                              threateningly, his face
                              close to Jacob's)
                         You'll come with me.

                                   JACOB
                         I can't hurt a child.

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         You've hurt a man before - a man
                         is just a big child.

                                   JACOB
                         Men! Men know what they are
                         doing. They know what they are in
                         for.

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         Precisely. And so do you. You
                         just don't have the courage to do
                         what you are in for. You want to
                         back down. You want to go back
                         inside.

                                   JACOB
                         We can do it differently, I'm
                         sure we can.

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         We can't. Do you want to go to
                         Mexico? Do you want to see Maria?
                         Do you want to fish in the deep
                         blue sea? Do you want to drive
                         south along the coast? Or do you
                         want to go back inside and stare
                         at the ceiling for fifteen years.
                         Think about it Jacob, it's your
                         choice: do you want to get out?

                                   JACOB
                         You know what I want. But I can't
                         do that.

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                             (sarcastically, picking
                              up the First Aid bag)
                         So you are the nurse. The nurse
                         holds the baby. Nursey stops the
                         baby screaming.

                                   JACOB
                         I can't be the nurse. I can't be
                         part of this.

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         You can't get out of it, Jacob.
                         You are part of this. You signed
                         up for this a long long time ago.
                         The only thing you have to decide
                         now is, are you a surgeon or a
                         nurse?
                             (flicks his knife from
                              side to side, like a
                              metronome)
                         Surgeon, Nurse. Surgeon, Nurse.
                         Surgeon, Nurse.

               Jacob turns away, freezing.

                                   JACOB
                         You do what has to be done. I
                         can't.

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                             (walking up close behind
                              him)
                         Okay, but do you think that makes
                         you innocent? Do you think that
                         because you're not in the room
                         with her you're nothing to do
                         with it?
                         Because I don't think that, and
                         they won't think that, and she
                         won't think that. She isn't going
                         to look at you afterwards and
                         think, "Oh, here comes Mister
                         Nice Guy, coming to save me from
                         Mister Nasty." It just doesn't
                         work like that. We're all in it
                         together.
                             (touches the back of
                              Jacob's neck with the
                              point of the knife)
                         We all trust each other.
                             (pause)
                         Dont we!

                                   JACOB
                             (stepping back and
                              turning around)
                         You put that knife near me again,
                         and you're a dead man. Dyou
                         understand?

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         I was just proving the point,
                         that we trust each other. We do,
                         don't we?

                                   JACOB
                         I told you you can trust me but I
                         don't agree with this. Just send
                         a tape! Video her - let them
                         know.

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         Let them know we're weak, that
                         we're soft as shit, that we don't
                         do what we threaten? Let them
                         know that we don't mean business?

                                   JACOB
                         You know I'm not weak, don't you
                         Kreutchmar? I mean, don't you
                         take me for a weak man just
                         because I won't do this. Don't go
                         making that mistake.

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         Well, time will tell about that.
                         I can do this on my own, if I
                         have to, but that doesn't stop
                         you being a part of it. Remember
                         that.

               Kreutchmar leaves the room with the knife. Jacob collapses
               onto the sofa, still in his clown's mask. He sits with his
               head sunk, a blank mask gazing at his lap.

               Off-stage, a girl's long scream which is then muffled.
               Jacob jerks his head back and the mask stares at the
               ceiling. The scream stops and the phone rings. Jacob
               ignores it.

               Kreutchmar re-enters the room with a bloodied knife in one
               hand and a bloodied rag containing something in the other.
               He walks to the sink and throws the knife in.

               He walks into the lounge and puts the bloodied rag-parcel
               onto the table. He walks around the table and sits down on
               the sofa, a foot away from Jacob. They both still have
               their masks on.

               Kreutchmar looks at the chess board silently. His hands are
               not near the chess board. Jacob's mask turns and looks at
               the side of Kreutchmar's head. Kreutchmar turns to face
               him. The two masks stare at each other for a few seconds
               then Kreutchmar takes off his mask. His face is deadly
               serious and sombre.

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         You better go to her, unless you
                         want her to bleed to death.

               Jacob groans inside his mask.

                                   KREUTCHMAR (cont'd)
                         You see, Jacob, we all get into
                         things we can't get out of and we
                         don't know where they will lead.
                             (standing up and picking
                              up the bloodied rag)
                         I'm going to deliver this. Don't
                         do anything stupid.

               Kreutchmar puts the bloodied rag in a polythene bag, then
               an envelope.

                                   KREUTCHMAR (cont'd)
                         You thought you could just be a
                         clown, but now you'll have to be
                         the nurse.

               Kreutchmar leaves by the front door.

               Jacob stands up and picks up the First Aid bag. He walks
               towards the interior door.

               Before he gets there he stops and takes off his mask and
               throws it on the floor.

               Time passes, Kreutchmar returns and sees the mask on the
               floor. He picks it up and looks at it, looks around the
               room, opens the interior door, listens, comes back in. He
               walks over to the window, checks outside, goes back to the
               sofa, sits down, makes a chess move.

               Jacob comes back in the room. He goes over to the sink and
               washes his hands. He walks into the lounge.

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                             (looking at the chess
                              board)
                         Your mask is on the floor.

               Jacob doesn't answer.

                                   KREUTCHMAR (cont'd)
                             (looking up)
                         Your, mask, is, on, the floor!
                         She's seen your face! That
                         changes everything, Jacob. She's
                         seen your face.

                                   JACOB
                         I can live with that.

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         But can she? I mean, should she?
                         Can we let her? Can we?

                                   JACOB
                             (getting menacing)
                         This has gone far enough! I won't
                         let you do anything else to her,
                         do you understand? I want to come
                         out of this a human being - I
                         won't become a monster.

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                             (stands up and confronts
                              him)
                         It's because you want to get out
                         of it, we all want to get out of
                         it, that we do what I decide.
                         There are four of us to think of -
                         you are not alone in this, and
                         everything any one of us does
                         affects the others. I will decide
                         what happens next.

               Jacob backs off.

                                   JACOB
                         I'm going to sit with her. I'll
                         sleep in there tonight.

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                             (sarcastically)
                         Don't touch her.

                                   JACOB
                         You can decide whatever you like,
                         but nothing happens to her.
                         I'll go down for this before you
                         get to her.

               Jacob leaves the room. Kreutchmar lies down on the sofa.

                                                       FADE TO BLACK.

               In the darkness, a phone rings. Kreutchmar answers it.

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         Bloch. They will have got it by
                         now and then they will agree.
                         It's never failed. Look back
                         through all the kidnappings where
                         they were refusing to pay the
                         ransom and as soon as they get an
                         ear, a finger, or something else,
                         they always pay up straight away.
                         It's the only way they know we're
                         for real.
                             (short silence while
                              Kreutchmar listens)
                         Okay. You deal with everything
                         that end, just as we agreed. You
                         watch Greene and I'll sort out
                         Jacob. Well, I thought I could
                         depend on him too, but sometimes
                         you get it wrong. We may have to
                         cut him out, completely. I don't
                         know, it's pissing me off. It
                         doesn't matter what he's done - I
                         will deal with the situation.
                         Yeah, I always have. If only it
                         could have been just you and me,
                         Bloch, things would have been
                         smooth. Yeah, well, one more day
                         and it will all be over and we'll
                         be out of here. Yeah, we may have
                         to cut them both out. We'll see.
                         Make contact tomorrow at nine,
                         then ring me.

               The stage stays dark for thirty seconds and the sound of
               the rain gets louder.

               The sound of the rain gets quieter. The stage lights up.
               Kreutchmar is standing at the front of the stage, holding
               the knife in front of him, facing the audience. Jacob comes
               into the room behind him so he can only see Kreutchmar's
               back and not the knife.

                                   JACOB
                         What's happening?

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         I'm thinking.

                                   JACOB
                         What about?

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         Bloch. Greene. You. You and the
                         girl mostly.

                                   JACOB
                         What about me and the girl?

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         I'm thinking that things don't
                         always turn out how you expect
                         them to. You think you can trust
                         people, but you can't. You start
                         off thinking that someone,
                         something, will come along and
                         rescue you, but it doesn't
                         happen. And you quickly realise
                         that you have to do things for
                         yourself - you have to act as if
                         there's no-one else in the world
                         who has any interest in your
                         fate. That's if you want to get
                         out, of course. If you think it's
                         worth doing whatever you have to
                         do to get out. The question is,
                         Jacob, should you do whatever is
                         necessary to get out? Or should
                         you just drift along, day after
                         day, listening to the rain,
                         wondering if you'll ever get out.
                         Should you just leave everything
                         to chance or should you intervene
                         to make the situation better.
                         Should you be a surgeon or a
                         nurse - you decide.

               As he says, 'you decide', Kreutchmar turns around and walks
               slowly towards Jacob with the knife pointing towards him.

                                   JACOB
                             (backing off)
                         What are you doing? Don't be
                         stupid! Don't mess everything up!

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         You already did that, Jacob. But
                         now it's simple: should I be a
                         surgeon or a nurse. It's your
                         decision.

                                   JACOB
                             (backing right up to the
                              breakfast bar)
                         We can sort this out.
                         Just because she's seen me, it
                         doesn't mean a thing. We'll all
                         be gone: you, me, Greene, and
                         Bloch, we'll take the money and
                         disappear. There are places where
                         you can disappear, with a new
                         name, a new identity...
                             (his hand grasping the
                              Michael Jackson mask)
                         ...a new face even, you can
                         change your face and be a
                         different person and no-one will
                         ever find you.

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                             (walks up close to
                              Jacob, speaking deadly
                              calm)
                         That sounds like I should be a
                         surgeon then.

               Kreutchmar pulls back his arm as if to stab Jacob. Just as
               Kreutchmar is about to stab him, the doorbell rings. They
               both freeze.

                                   JACOB
                         It's the door.

               Kreutchmar, holding the knife up looks at Jacob then looks
               around at the door. He walks over to the window and peeks
               around the blind.

                                   JACOB
                         Who is it?

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         It's a courier. He's got a
                         parcel.

               The bell rings again.

                                   JACOB
                             (moving quickly towards
                              the door)
                         I'll get it!

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                             (waving him back with
                              the knife)
                         Don't be stupid. It must be a
                         setup. Let him go.

               The bell rings again.

                                   JACOB
                         What's he doing?

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         He's leaving it in the porch.
                         He's writing a card. He's putting
                         it through the letter box.

               A card is pushed through the letter box.

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         Okay, he's gone.

               Kreutchmar walks over, picks up the card, and reads it.

                                   JACOB
                         What does it say?

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         Nothing. But it's addressed to
                         me. How can it be addressed to
                         me? Only Bloch and Greene know
                         where we are.

                                   JACOB
                         Go and get it.

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         It could be a trap.

                                   JACOB
                         It must be from Bloch. It's gotta
                         be. I'll get it.

               Jacob walks to the door. Kreutchmar follows him with the
               knife ready in case Jacob tries to escape.

               Jacob opens the door, picks up the parcel and comes back
               in. The parcel is about 8-inches square, wrapped in brown
               paper. Jacob takes it and puts it on the table.

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         Don't open it. I'm going to phone
                         Bloch.

               Kreutchmar picks up the phone and rings Bloch. Bloch's
               phone rings from inside the parcel.

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         What the fuck! That's his phone.

                                   JACOB
                         Open it.

               Kreutchmar walks to the table, sits down, and uses the
               knife to slit open the top of the parcel. He opens the
               parcel and looks inside. He pulls out something wrapped in
               a white, bloodied rag, and puts it on the table.

                                   JACOB
                         Jesus! What's that? What's going
                         on?

               Kreutchmar uses the point of the knife to open the rag.
               Inside it there is a hand, cut off at the wrist, holding
               the mobile phone.

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         Jesus fuckin christ! It's a hand.

               Jacob bends over and looks at it.

                                   JACOB
                         That ring. That's Greene's ring.
                         Oh my god, it's Greene's hand.
                         There's a note in it. Take it out
                         - read it!

               Kreutchmar pulls a note from out the box. He reads it
               silently. He looks at Jacob and looks at the knife. He
               stares at Jacob.

                                   JACOB (cont'd)
                             (nervously)
                         What's it say? Why are you
                         staring at me?

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         It says, "I thought I could trust
                         you. But Jacob and Greene thought
                         they could go it alone. So I had
                         to cut you all out. Bloch."

                                   JACOB
                         He's double-crossed us.

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         You double-crossed us. You and
                         Greene.

               Kreutchmar jumps suddenly and holds the knife against
               Jacob's throat.

                                   JACOB
                         He's just saying that. He's done
                         Greeney and he's got the money.
                         We have to find him before he
                         gets away. He will have told them
                         where we are!

               Silence. They both stop and think. Only the sound of rain
               falling for five seconds then it stops. Absolute silence.

               Kreutchmar walks over to the window and looks out the
               blind. He staggers back, dazed.

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         There's police everywhere.

               Kreutchmar throws down the knife and runs behind the
               breakfast bar. He comes back with a red petrol can. He goes
               to the front of the stage and starts splashing petrol on
               the floor across the stage and around the door. Jacob backs
               up, right to the back of the stage, just watching.

                                   KREUTCHMAR (cont'd)
                             (shouts hysterically)
                         You said I could trust you!

                                   JACOB
                         Kreutchmar, we still have the
                         girl, think about it, we can
                         negotiate.

                                   KREUTCHMAR
                         It's too late for that now. They
                         won't take us. No-one gets out of
                         here alive!

               Kreutchmar walks to the table and picks up the matches. He
               walks to the front of the stage and prepares to strike a
               match.

               Jacob picks up the knife and walks towards Kreutchmar. As
               he walks towards him he flicks the knife from side to side
               in the same way that Kreutchmar did during the 'surgeon or
               nurse' speech earlier.

               The stage goes dark.

                                     THE END
home  back ]